National Republican., 1887-11-24
CoRNERING WITNESSES.
Difficult to Explain the Reduced Rates
to Standard oil.

to Standard OIL.
The examination OF }. NJ. Culp, general
freight agent Of the Louisville and Nash
vile railroad, was continued before the
interstate commerce commission yesterday
morning In connection with the Standard
Oil cases. Witness hesitated a great deal
in giving his testimony, and showed in
many respects q lack OF knowledge Of the
rates and other matters in his department
about which he was questioned. In ex-
planation--or, as he termed II, In justice to
,himeelf--he finally said that the chief man
in his office was Ia ill.health, and that he
(witness) had taken steps to have all mat
ters respecting the arrangement and publi-
cation of rates made clear. He averred
with emphasis that there was no purpose
on the part Of his company to conceal any
thing.
The chairman questioned witness for half
an hour respecting printed tariff sheet
formation the rates upon oil. Witness ad-
mitted that the actual oil rates were not
those given on the sheet, but were special
rates Issued from time to time and posted
In station houses. The purpose OF the
chairman was to ascertain how O shipper
could learn from the company's publica-
cations what were the actual rates upon oil.
Witness replied at great length, but failed
to make the matter clear to any one. The
chairman finally advised witness to take
counsel with the attorney Of his road as to
whether he was complying with the fifth
section OF the interstate commerce law re-
specting the publication OF rates and the
filing OF copies with the commission. Wit
ness promised, effusively, that the matter
should receive his earliest attention when
he got home.
Ia ..ll n
owned the forty six cars upon which the
Standard on Company had placed tanks.
These cars were not open for the use OF
any others than the Standard OH Company.
1t was further developed that since April
D witness had refused to give Mr.. Rice (the
complainant) any rates upon oil from Louis
vile to Nashville and Louisville to Mont
gomery, despite repeated applications by
letter, but had invariably referred Mr.. Rice
to the agent Of the connecting line at Gin
clnnati, and had at times accompanied this
reference with some rather forcible ex.
pressions Of opinion.
The afternoon session OF the commission
was consumed In the examination OF II.
Collbran, general freight agent Of the Gin
cinDati, New LOrleans and Texas Pacific
Railway. The general theories governing
railroad rates were brought out with
tedious minuteness. The gist of the direct
Commissioner Walker, who, calling atten-
tion to witnesses admission that rates upon
oil per hundred pounds were So cents In
barrels, and % cents when carried In tanks
reckoning $4,000 pounds to the tank.car-
asked II witness wished to offer anything In
explanation Of this great disparity. Wit
ness replied In the negative, nothing be.
yond what he had already said in justidcl-
tion OF the lower rates upon tank oil.
Witness averred that the tank and barrel
rates were open alike to Mr.. Rice, the
Standard OIL Company, and all other ship
pers. He, however, admitted as matter
OF fact that the tank rates were only made
between points where the Standard Oh
Company had their stationary tanks, be
cause not called for elsewhere. On cross
examination by the attorneys OF the wit
ness's road tie fact was brought out thai
three tank cars of oil had been hauled by
the company for other shippers than thu
Standard OIL Company, two Of them being
for Mr.. Rice, the complainant. In one o.
the latter instances-the only one who's,
record witness had been able to get--tht
car was accepted and hauled at the ship
per's estimate Of It's capacity-33, ,50(
pounds-at which rate the service was pait
for. In fact, the cars capacity was 35, T5(
pounds, the excess being 80 much to til,
advantage Of Mr.. Rice. The further hear
ing is adjourned till tomorrow.